Method of and means for making metal articles



Feb. 1, 1949. w. L.. G-ARBERDING 2,460,281

METHOD 0F AND MEANS FOR MAKING METAL ARTICLES Feb. 1, 1949.

Filed June 1s, A"1942 4K2 .Q 47 4,5. ig@ "Ll l 41.1 45 .l l/ 51! 54 .Vi.. 50

W. L-. GARBERDING METHOD 0F AND MEANS FOR MAKING METAL ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 1, 1949 METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MAKING METAL ARTICLES Waldo L. Garberding, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 18, 1942, Serial No. 447,505

15 Claims.

My invention relates to a method of and means for making metal articles and is more particularly concerned with the manufacture of finger stops which are adapted for use in progressive or gang type metal forming dies.

One of the objects of my invention is to simplify and economize in the manufacture of certain sheet metal articles by producing them in a manner which avoids the complexities and the waste of material in scrap that would result from the conventional way of making such articles by compound or blanking die methods.

Another object is to make narrow, elongated, formed metal articles from narrow strips of material of yapproximately the same Width which may be derived from sheets specially sheared into strips or, more economically, from strips of scrap material salvaged from the trimming down of metal sheets intended for other uses.

Still another object is to eiect important improvements in the accurate trimming of strip material in the punch press manufacture of metal articles.

A further object is to provide a novel method of and means for providing a sheet metal article with an integrally struck out tongue ornger, and more particularly such a tongue or finger formed with a grooved base.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel method and means for progressively trimming, punching, forming and cutting off articles made from sheet metal strips.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a simple, efficient, and rugged punch press apparatus for the quantity production of iinished metal articles, which is economical in operation and will operate for long periods without requiring adjustment, sharpening or other attention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the -following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring-to the drawings of which there are two sheets:v

Figure l is a front elevational view of a combination die structure embodying features of the invention; l

Fig. 2 is a top' plan-view of the stripper and certain other parts'of the'die, with some areas broken away and in section to show details of construction; l

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional detail view taken substantially along lines v-'S -3.of Fig.. 2; and showing-parts of the die appa- 42 y 1 ratus in the relationship assumed upon complee tion of the forming stroke;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken on the plane of the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional detail view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

FigsA 6 and 7 are sectional views similar to Fig. 5 but showing the cooperating parts in different respective relationships at progressive stages of operation;

Fig. 8 is a perspective assembly view of a linger stop, the body of which is adapted to be made according to the present invention; and i Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view through the presser head or thumb flange end portion of the linger stop. i According to my invention, a sheet metal strip is progressively converted into a successionof identical finished articles by a series of operations all of which are preferably performed simultaneously on successive article-blank sections of the strip. The strip is advanced by article-blank section increments to subject each section step by step to each'successive operation. In order, from rst to last, the operations may include trimming the width of the selected section of the strip of material to accurate dimension, then Vpunching the trimmed section of the strip to provide it with an angularly struck-out grooved-'base tongue, and, lastly, forming and severing the trimmed and punched section from the strip. The resulting article is accurate as to width and utilizes all of the component section of the strip material ex,- cept for the very small amount of scrap which may be trimmed away from one side of the blank where the strip is wider than required.

Having reference now to the drawings, an article made according to my invention may comprise a linger stop i0 (Figs. 8 and 9) such as is adapted to serve as a starting device for a progressive or gang forming die of a punch press. The stop I0 comprises an elongated relatively narrow stop leg Il formed from a suitable gauge sheet metal and having an integral, relatively short, rightangular presser head or thumb flange I2 at one end. Intermediate its ends, the stop leg ll has on one edge an elongated shallow notch I3 to provide a limit pin clearance. Struck out from the thumb -ange f2 is an integral right-angular tongue or supporting iinger I4 which overlies the leg Il in parallel relation. This finger is preferably of taper pointed shape so that it canbe assembled with a compressible return coil spring l5 by a relative axial sliding assembly movement into an ensmalled interengaging end loop Il on the spring Which is thereby gradually expanded until it snaps into an anchoring groove I8 formed for this purpose across the base of the supporting nger. In this manner the spring I is held against unintentional separation from the finger I4 but may be removed if necessary by forcing the end loop I 'I koff of the ringer. For a more detailed description of the linger stop I0 and vits use, reference is invited to my copending application Serial No. 446,973, filed June 13, 19fi2, now Patent No. 2,340,805, issued February 1, 1944.

The one-piece body of the linger stop t0 is adapted to be made from a simple strip '.20 vof sheet metal such as dead soft cold rolled steel.

This strip is preferably only slightly wider than the nished width of the stop :body and, as has been found very advantageous in practice, may comprise scrap trimmed from sheets of the selected gauge of material derived from shearing down sheets for making some other article. Where the body of the finger stop is to be 1 wide, the strip 20 may be up to 31g" or 1/2 wide.

In transforming the strip of material 2G into a finger stop body, -a selected blank section or l'the strip is trimmed accurately to the desired stop body width while at the same time cutting the limit pin clearance -notch I3, whereafter the trimmed blank section is punched to provide the spring supporting and anchoring tongue i4, and then the trimmed and punched blank section is `bent to provide the thumb iiange 'I2 and, as completed, is sheared ofl -from the strip. All of these steps are performed in a combination die .assembly 21 (Fig. 1'), which includes a downwardly movable trimming punch structure 22, an upwardly projecting stationary tongue-striking male punch 23 and cooperating downwardly movable die or female punch 24, .and a downwardly movable cut-off .and forming punch 25. A ren ciprocable punch head .or holder 42l, including a punch back ,2,8, .supports the trimming punch 22, the female punch '24, and the -cutoi and forming punch 25, and is adapted to be supported by the rram of a punch press (not shown) in which the holder is driven through .a punching cycle relative to a die block 29, mounted upon a die vbed 3B and carrying the male punch 23. The die block 29 supports a stripper 3i which is removably secured thereto as by means of screws 3 2. The ystripper 3i provides a g-uideway `or gauge for the strip of material 2E! and for this `purpose is provided with ka longitudinal downwardly facing guideway channel a3 in its lower face.

Upon introducing the leading end of the strip of material 20 into .the guideway channel 33, 1t .comes first under the trimming punch 22 where a blank section of the strip equal to the full length of the body .of the finger stop is ac curately trimmed to the nger stop width. The first part of the channel 33 leading to the trim- ,mingr punch is ,of ample Width to accommodate a strip substantially Wider than the trimmed blank.

According to the present invention, all trimming is eiected in a simple punching operation and metal is trimmed away from only one side o f the strip. To this cud, the trimming punch 22 is Aelongated longitudinally of the path of travel of the strip of material 20 and has an effective length corresponding to the iull length of the blank to be trimmed, A punch hole 34 (Figs. 2 and 5) in the stripper 3l registers with.

and guides the punch 22 yto a punch hole V35 `in the die block 29. The inner longitudinal edge of the punch hole 35 is parallel with the opposite wall identified at 31 of the guideway channel 33 and is spaced therefrom exactly equal to the desired width of the trimmed blank. Thus, when the strip of material 2i! is held with one edge against the gauging channel wall 3l, the punch 22 upon entering the punch hole 35, will trim off any excess :material which projects into its path along the opposite edge of the strip.

In order to gauge incremental advance of the stock strip .20, the inner end wall deiining the stripper punch hole 34 provides a gauging shoulder 38 engageable by the leading end of the excess material to be trimmed ofi, indicated at 39, of each of the blank sections. After the excess material 39 is trimmed away, the trimmed section may be advanced through a succeeding narrower portion 4D of the gauging channel 33 (F152).

Not only does the .trimming punch 22 trim away the excess width Aof the stock strip .28, :but it also, as an initial action preceding actual trimming, forces the strip edgewise firmly against the abutment provided by the gauging channel -Wall Thus, referring to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the punch 22 is formed with .a .depending nose portion .4i having an inwardly facing slanting pressure shoulder .112 which extends .at preferably approximately to the plane .of the stock .strip 20. The shoulder 42 is adapted for .slidably engaging the adjacent .edge of the strip 20 and gradually applying increasing force in the plane of the strip toward the abutment wall 31 as the punch Ydescends ina .punching stroke. The dot-dash outline of .the punch 22 in Fig. 5 indicates its position at .the ymoment of initial contact of the .slanting pressure .shoulder 42 with the edge of the stock strip '20. As the punch continues to descend from this position -toward the position shown i-n Fig. 6, gradually increasing pressure is applied to the edge :of the stock strip serving -not only to Amove the `strip laterally in its plan-e toward the abutment wal-l 371, vbut also to straighten out the wall-engaging edge of the strip. The remaining marginal edge portion 39 of excess material aiu-.this point overhangs the punch opening 35. The :slanti-ng arrangement of the shoulder v42 enables the accommodation of varying widths in the stock strip 28.. In the continuing descent of the punch .22, the excess material 39 may .be peened over by the uppermost por-tion of the pressure shoulder d2 as shown in dot-dash outline in Fig. 7 and is ii-nally sheared loir' clean by a shearing edge 43 on the punch coopera-ting with a stationary shearing edge 44 at the adjacent upper side of the punch opening 35. The peened-over and then sheared-eff scrap strip .39 is accommodated in a narrow scrap .clearance I@It between the shearing edge 43 and the adjacent face of the inclined pressure face 42.. At its trailing end, the scrap strip 39 is sheared from the stock strip 26 by a short shearing edge 41 formed on the punch at that end of the scrap clearance gap 45. The severed scrap 39 drops away down the punch hole 35.

After the punch 22 is fully withdrawn, the stock strip 2u may again be advanced a blank length increment determined by stopping engagement of the freshly sheared leading edge'of the excess material on the' next succeeding blank with the gauging shoulder 38.

Coincident `with the-width trimming action of the punch 22, a lateral notching projection 48, integral with the punch, shears out'the limit pin clearance notch i3 in the edge ofthe blank. The resulting slug of scrap is, of course, integral and drops away with the scrap strip 39.

Any tendency of the stock strip 20 to tilt up under the influence of the downward force applied to the scrap edge portion 39 of the strip by the punch 22 is overcome by means such as hold-down pins 49. In the present instance there are two of the hold-down pins 49, one adjacent to each opposite end of the blank to be trimmed, at points inwardly of the longitudin-al center of the stock strip so as to increase the length of the hold-down leverage by applying the hold-down force as far removedas practicable from the fulcrum provided by the shearing edge 44 of the die.

As the trimming punch 22 descends toward engagement with the blank, the hold-down pins 49 engage the blank in advance of the initial contact of the punch with the scrap edge portion 3Q. For this purpose, the hold-down pins 49 are preferably long enough to extend a limited distance below the lower edge of the punch nose 4I. Holes 5G in the stripper 3I guide the holddown pins 49 squarely against the blank.

n ythe continued descent of the punch 22, the hold-down pins 49 are adapted to apply progressively increasing hold-down pressure against the blank substantially proportionate to increase'in wiping pressure of the shoulder 42 in the advance oi the punch 22, until the maximum holddown pressure is exerted as shearing of the scrap edge portion 3S takes place. For this purpose, the hold-down pins 49 are normally urged toward hold-down by respective compression springs 5I which are located within coaxial bores 52 in the punch holder 2l' and bear 'resilently against increased diameter heads 53 on the inner ends of the associated pins. The heads 53 are slidable within their bores 52 and in' the fully extended position of the pins, rest against the inner iace portions of the punch back 28 surrounding respective pin-passage bores 54 (Fig. 5). l

After further descent of the hold-down pins d is stopped by engagement with the stock blank, the springs 5l yield to permit retraction of the pins upwardly within the bores 52 While the punch 22 continues advancing (Fig. 6) toward shearing (Fig. 7). At the same time, the springs 5I are compressed and thus loaded to exert progressively increasing force counteracting the retraction of the pins. This force is transmitted by the pins to the blank which is thereby held ever more nrmly against the underlying surface of the punch block 29. In lthe return of the punch 22, the hold-down pins 4S serve in the nature of stripper pins to hold the newly sheared blank down flat and avoid tiltingA up of the sheared edge by wiping action of the side face of the punch as it returns thereby.

As the trimmed blank is advanced from the trimming station to the nger'punching station, it is guided into position over the upwardly protruding stationary punch 23 by the rear one of a pair of identical rounded tip stripper pins 55 which project above and flank the'punch on the longitudinal median line of the reduced Width stripper guide channel portion 40 and are normally held extended by compression springs 51 (Fig. 1). The depth of the reduced width channel portion l4B is suiiicient to afford ample clearance above the punch 23 for the uptilting of the stock strip 20 thereover. During punching, the stripper pins 55 are adapted to yield and retract slidably within'respective die block bores 58 in opposition to the springs 51.

In the punching operation, the movable female punch 24 extends through a guide aperture 59 in the stripper plate 3|, engages the top face of the blank, and drives it against the punch 23 which pierces the blank and strikes out the linger I4 (Fig. 3). For this purpose the punch 23 has a similar cross-sectional shape as the outline of the finished taper-pointed finger I4 and has a raised shearing point 5I) from which the upper end of the punch tapers down toward a rounded heel 6I. The latter is designed to apply transverse and longitudinal components of metal displacing pressure to the adjacent base portion of the finger I4 to form the anchoring groove i8. The movable punch 24 has a longitudinally extending shearing edge bore 52 Iwhich is of crosssection generally complementary to and is cooperative with the male punch 23 and arranged for snugly receiving the punch 23 and the base of the struck-out finger I4 therein (Fig. 4). A

, rounded-off shoulder 63 on the punch 24Ycompressively opposes the groove-forming heel 6I at the opposite side of the iinger I4 by being spaced from the heel less than the thickness of the metal of the tongue. As shown in Fig. 1, the movable punch 24 extends down to be eiective well ahead of the shearing action of the punches 22 and 25, thus driving the up-tilted strip 20 down substantially iiat against the die block 29 before the latter punches can bend'the strip down at either side of the punch 23.

Transverse strain upon the stationary punch 23 resulting` from the groove-pressing action of the heel 6I is,fof course, strongly resisted by reason of the greater dimension of the punch in o the direction vof the transverse component of compression force generated. Any unusual transverse distorting strain that may nevertheless arise, is adequately counteracted by the snug slidable engagement of the stationary punch with the walls deiining the shearing and receiving bore 62 in the movable punch 24. Moreover, the side walls of the punch bore 62, adjacent the shoulder 63, being spaced the same as the base width of the finger I4, prevent formation of burrs due to edgewise ow of the metal displaced in the formation ci the anchoring groove I8, but may cause the metal flow to be reiiected in a slight elongation of the finger. This maintains thebase width of the tongue Iwithin predetermined limits to facilitate subsequent reception of the anchoring-loop Il of the .return Aspring; of the stop.

:Smoothpositive operation of the female punch 24 is enhanced by a yieldable mounting thereof. To this end, it is keyed for non-rotary longitudinal slidingV movement through the punch back 28 (Fig; 1). A strong compression spring 54 maintains the punch 24 normally in .extended condition even throughoutthe punching stroke until the blank is substantially,atagainst the die block 29. The spring 64 is partially received within' an axial bore 65 formed'in an enlarged head 66 providing a limit shoulder for the punch and havinga limited range of axial movement Within a socket B1 in the punch holder 27. After the punch 24 reaches the end of its punching stroke, yielding of the spring E4 permits a com# pensatin'g movement of the punch head 2"? ini dependent of the punch24'calcu1ate'd toenable movementcf thepunchesZZ and 25 to the limit of their :punching 1 -strokes, whereupon the A'h'eia'd iicornes intosol-id engagement withV th'e inner "or top wall "of 'the socket "-51 so that lthe lower 'end of the punch 24 is driven intoiirial solid,`squar ing engagement 'with the -blan'k (Fig. 3)

Upon separation of -lth'e punches `2 3i and 213,tl'1l`e stripper "pins 55"operat'e by :expansion o f the f'springs `51 At'o strip 'the punched YVblank -fimv'the -statonai'y'punch Should the blanksti'ckft'o the feinale 'punch v2l! V"even though the 'tapered l 'shap'eof the tongue 'i-flimit's 'engagementof its 'sides with fthe ladacent Widest po'rtir "i fthe bore 62,?sepa1ation is eie'ct'ed when the blank strikes th'e `roof of 'guideway 'channel rpc'rtion 40.

AUponfbeing advanced from' the'nger-pnching station, the blank reaches the nal utci and forming `statioirunder the :punch 25 (Figs. f1 and 2). Here `the "leading 'end of the stock blank is :received 'within a centering and gaugingope'h- .ing 68 Vin `a vgauge plate SS which is m'ouiite'dfon a -forming block 178. The gauging 'opening rE58 'lis of a length -to Tre'ceive and deliinit the 'e'ird'poi tion -of the blank which -will form thc thumb kflange lizfof the stop body.

:Longitudinally-ojf the blank, vthe punch A'25 'ls 'dimensioned vequal to Vthe inside vlength of the fstop leg IH. The llower end vof the vpunch 2E is squared up and `the 1edge neaiestt'he tailinge'nd of the -blank serves pis la `shearing edge 'which lcoopenates with '-a lstationary sl'i'earing Vedge l2 (Fig. 3) on -thedie blook'to sever'the blank "from the strip.

Simultaneously with the shearing action, the 4opposite yedge of the vcutoff and forming 'punch 25 cooperates as an 'angle -former 13 with a rounded forming shoulder T4 on the forming 'block '18. The opposing vertical faces o'f the vpunch 25 and the -forming block I0 are spaced apart a distance equal 'to the thickness df 'the material of the blank. Thus, as the punch `25 Adescends upon th'e positioned blank, the 'forming edge 13 'causes the projecting 'end portion of the blank to wipe `down over the forming shoulder 74 and :bend up against the adjacent vertical end 'face kof the punch 'within 'which is a clearance bore 15 for receiving 'the "finger I4 of the now formed thumb flange l2. The longitudinallyydi'- rected component of -forc'e 'resulting from 'the forming 'action is ssted bythe inherent rigidity of the punch 2'5, 'and in addition, by' a bridge 16 of stripper 'plate material and bythe die block face aln'g 'which th sharilg'edge 'll `mvs vdovinwa'rily following the shearing action.

To assur at, square formation of the punch ieg H, pressure pad 1r is mounted upona coiled compression spring 'I8 for resiliently opposing the punch 25. A locating stem 19 depends from the pad l1 into the spring 18, and the 'entire pas 'assembly is neig for 'vertical sliding movewith'in @weil 80. The 'pressure pcd 11 noi-- 'riially lies with its 'upper surface substantially coplanar with thev upper surface of the die block 29 and then yieldably fonows the cutoff and forming punch V25 down tc the end of itsstroke while maintaining firm pressure against the interposed stop leg I I. As the punch 25 returns, the pad 17 follows and returns to its upper limit, thus pushing the nished article up out of the Well 8l! to be carried clear of the die by monien= tary catching'of the finger i4 upon the lower wall of the clearance bore l5, substantially as shown in dot-'dash outline in Fig. 1-. By having the die structure mounted ina tiltedv bed press,

the finished article will then automatically drop F75 "on the' strip;v

"51:3 ly i effected. y

8 away-oi its-own weightf thus clearing the' punch '2 5 'foran immediate return' 'punching stroke.

From thefreg'ong "it will be 'apparent that y commencing with the third: punching stroke after introduction` (if-'theA s'trip 2 0 into the combination die -vstructra vand with "each punching 'stroke vthereafter :untiltle'stripis used up, a nished "die stop bodisfpodced. This' is accomplished 'with *a baref minimum "oi 'scrap utilizing simple l0 'strip'stock. y 'A y "Ahighdegrei-cf faccuracy'ies attained inthe width 'of the `nishcdlarticle` simply 4and"without any'blankir'ig 'out-6peration `but by the improved 'side' trn'rning action. lOther dimensions are'also V15 `riaita`1ned within5'i'eas`o'ably` close limits. The novel's'nultafi'is'punching 'groovng of the "strucklttonguerr'ngr is of substantial advantage in ,simplifying manufacture Aand speeding-production. V'Bec'auselofits relatively simple '530 yco'nstruc'ztori v"and Asrriall number of operating partsfthe 'die ss'emblycan beeasily and quickly setup for operation fand will give long trouble- 'freefsevi'c'e. nyvrpa'is that' may from time to timebe necessary, can besimply and expeditious- Aft'er the'body' of` the"s top -Il) has been completed r intliefdiegit'ishardened ready for use. Then the"spring "'I5 islassembled therewith by 'slippingtheancho'ring endloop I'I onto the sup- :Sli porting ngfr 'I4 until 'snapping.engagement of the loop into tleanchoring groove |78 is eiected. Theiir'iger stop isft'lenrcady for installation in a' pfifofg'lsfs iv'e or gang die. Y

vWhile I'liaeillustrateda )preferred embodi- *255 ment 'of my invention, many modifications may be made without'departing from the spirit of the invention, and 'rdolnot wish to be limited to the 'precise "steps "or details 4of construction as set forth, b utdes'ire tb "avail lmyself of all changes 40 Within the scope `f`the appended claims.

Having Jthus described my inventiom what I cl'aiin. a`s `n`ew and desire vtovsecureby Letters Patent of the United States is: y y l y i 1. The i'iitriod f 'niaiginga linger stop which 4i 'comprises striking an integral springsu p1 nortirig tongue to extend'angularly fromoneend portion 'of a relatively sof-t elongated sheet metal blank, bending 'said 'end -portion intofright-'angular relation to v"the remainder of theblankand with the "J0 tongue overlying remainder of the blank,

hardening the `viorm'cd blank.

2. Apparatus for making articles from a sheet fne'tal stri'pcom'prising, in combination, a base, means for holding the strip down against the im base, a gauging abutment, means for forcing one side vf the strip edgewise against the abutment with gradually increasingI pressure, and means i'or trimming excess material from the opposite side of the stripvlfile the strip is held against tu th abutment wit-h maximurn pressure 3. In "combination in apparatus for making an article from a sheet metal strip, a die block, a stripper providing a gauging` abutment for an edge of`v the strip while the strip is lying upon (55 'the die block,- a trimming punch including means for engaging one edge of the strip and forcing the strip in its plan into engagement 'at its'oppositc edge with the 'gauging abutm'ent, said punch having a Ashearing edge adjacent tothe forcing means vfor severing 'eiicess material from the edgev portion oi tlistip engaged by the latter',- an'd ineens for holding th strip down against the die Block while tii tr'iig p'uhcii is acting 4. In combination in apparatus for making an article from a strip of sheet metal, means comprising a stationary base to receive the strip atwise, a shearing edge on one side of said base, a gauging and straightening abutment spaced inwardly from said shearing edge, a reciprocably mounted member having a pressure shoulder engageable with the side edge of the strip nearest said sharing edge to force the strip in its plane toward said abutment for engagement of the latter by the opposing side edge of the strip, a shearing edge on said member cooperative with shearing edge on the base for trimming excess material from the shoulder-engaged side of the strip, said shoulder being so related to the shearing edge on the member that gradually increasing pressure is applied thereby. to the edge of the strip as such shearing edge approaches shearing position, and means co-ordinated in action with said member for holding the strip against tilting relative to said base under the influence of said member and releasing the strip automatically when said member is withdrawn from contact with the strip.

5. In combination in apparatus for making articles from sheet metal having substantial thickness, a stationary punch, and a movable punch cooperative with the stationary punch for partially severing a tongue of material from a iblank of the sheet metal, one of the punches being of substantially the same cross-sectional shape as the outline of the tongue and having its punching end surface on a slant relative to the plane of the blank to be punched, shearing edges bordering said end surface except Where the base of the tongue is engaged and there having a roundedoff heel, the other of the punches Vhaving a bore dimensioned to receive said one punch and the struck-out tongue snugly, the mouth of the bore in said other punch being defined by shearing edges shearingly cooperative with the first-mentioned shearing edges and an` angle forming shoulder engageable with the opposite side of the base of the tongue from said heel, the opposing surfaces of said shoulder and said heel being in the fully interengaged relation of the punches spaced apart less than the thickness of the metal of the tongue so that said heel presses into the base portion of the tongue and displaces metal therefrom to form a transverse groove.

6. In sheet metal forming apparatus, a pair of relatively axially reciprocable punches, one of said punches having a. bore with a cross-sectional shape substantially like the outline of a tongue to be struck from a sheet metal blank, the other punch being of end shape complementary to said bore and adapted when the punches are brought together to cooperate shearingly With said one punch for partially severing the tongue from the blank and bending it out of the plane of the blank into said bore, said last mentioned punch having means operative when the punches are in cooperating relation to form a groove in the tongue, and means for stripping the tongued blank from the punches when they are separated.

7. In combination in apparatus for making the body part for a finger stop from a strip of sheet material, means for gauging the width of a 1ongitudinal blank section of the strip, means for trimming excess material from one longitudinal margin of the blank, means beyond said trimming means for striking out an integral supporting iinger right-angularly adjacent one end of the blank, means for engaging the freshly severed end of the untrimmed excess marginal material on the succeeding blank to gauge the positioning of the newly trimmed blank relative to said fingerstriking means, and means at an advanced location relative to the striking-out means for rightangularly bending the trimmed and beiingered blank on a transverse line adjacent to the finger to divide the blank into a thumb flange and a longer stop leg and bring the nger into substantially parallel relation to the stop leg.

`8. In combination in apparatus for making a tongued article from a sheet metal strip of substantial thickness, mechanism for striking an integral tongue right angularly from the body of the strip, said mechanism including means for entering into the metal of the tongue and displacing the metal of the tongue from a narrow area across the base of one face of the tongue to form a spring-receiving groove depressed into the contiguous face of the tongue, and means for confining the displaced metal against spreading edgewise of the tongue.

9. In combination in apparatus for making articles from a strip of relatively stiff sheet material, means for gaging the width of a longitudinal blank section of the strip adjacent its leading end,

the length of such blank section being substantially less than the total length of the strip, means for trimming excess material from one longitudinal margin of that section and forming a forwardly facing shoulder at the severed end of the untrimmed excess material on the succeeding blank portion of the strip, and means for engaging said shoulder to stop and position the next succeeding blank section of the strip to be trimmed when the strip is advanced to carry the 40 ming of both sides of the strip, since there is inadequate scrap allowance for a conventional trimming die or like means to make adequate trimming engagement with both sides of the strip simultaneously, which method comprises forcing i the strip in its plane to drive one longitudinal edge against a width gauge with adequate pressure to correct deviations from required delineation of the gauged edge, trimming excess material or scrap allowance from the opposite edge of the strip, and while the strip is being thus trimmed holding it firmly against tilting relative to or away from the gauging abutment during the trimming.

l1. The method of making a finger stop body from a strip of sheet metal which comprises trimming the strip to proper width, striking out of one end section of the strip an integral finger to extend at right angles to the plane of said section, and then bending the finger-carrying section into right-angular relationship to the remainder of the strip and with the nger extending in parallel and overlying relation to said remainder of the strip in position to receive a coiled return spring and support such spring in overlying relation to said remainder of the strip with its axis parallel thereto.

12. The method of making an article from a strip of material which comprises holding the strip down against a base, forcing the strip edgewise with gradually increasing pressure against a width-gauging abutment, andthen, While maintaining the edgewise pressure at maximum, trimming excess material from the free edge portion of the gauged strip.

13. In apparatus of the character described, a

trmmingpnnlch .adaptedto..trm .excessrnateral f. roman edge of ast'rp.lying.upon.a..trmrn1ng.. bed and.; projecting.. edgewisef. beyond.. said; bed@ over ka.sl1earing...edge.totheextent to be .trimmed away, said. punchhaving an. inclined. shoulder adaptedto engagethetrimming edge of .the stripU 14. Inapparatus Vfor makingarticlesfrom sheet metal of;substantial.thickness, means fonpar tiall-yn severing and.- striking Aout .angularlyirom a blankof,theLsheetmetal anelonga'ted tongue," means acting inconcertwith saidsevering means tolenter into and. displace asufcient amount of metal from across the baseef 4tl'ieltcngue toform a transverse. groove .sunk to substantial depth Withimthecontiguous.face plane of the tongue, therepth-of sadgoove beingsucientto enable the inte1`loclring therein of van element to beassembled .wth..the'tonguc,. and..mea'ns for. actuating all of said means..

15. In-co1nbinationin apparatus .for making articles `from relativelystii sheet metal, means for punching an integral tongue angularly from adjacent .toimeV endlofablank section of a strip ofthe 'materiaL a reciprocable member for en gaging the stripafter a tongne has been 'punchedy therefrom, andlmeans adapted to cooperate withsaid membeigf upon` relative movement of thel member and the' cooperating means with the blank. operatively disposed between them, fory bendingasection of they blank containing said tongue lintoi'angular relation to the remainder of the blank and with the tongue projecting from the inside Vface of the angularly bent section tov/ard the reciprocalole member, said recipro- The .following .referencesare ofu record-in the le .oi-*this*A patent:vr

Inmoer.X Name... Date 16,2905S Skeels Dec. 23, 1856- 231,209. Brookstal, Aug-17,- 18.80; 272,202: Bradley` Feb. 13, 1883 A 277,923.1` Packard.A May.22,.1883` 35.2.;359e Schmiedl; Nov. 9,` 1886 516,696.1. Bartlett'x Mar. 20, 1894- 595,108.. Leyedahl Dec,.7, 1897 678,002 Miller Ju1y.9,` 1901` 7491101.41,v Leviisetral.. Nov. 10, 1903 979,142,- Fahnestock. Dec. 20,1910 1,303,520 Swaidmark May 131919.. 1352.5,518 Wenjwcrih- Feb. 17,1925 1,535,777 Hoxe...et.ral.1 Apr, 28, 1925 1,674,661 Pleiste1et..al.; June 26, 1928 1 1,787,255 Klocke... Dec. 30,1193() 1,800,493.; Dustan-etlel Apr. 14,1931 1,820,402 Conard,` Aug. 25 1931 1,890,471: Rutherford,r4 Dec. 13, 1932 1 1,931,420. WakefieldV Oct. 1'7, 1933 2,019,518.. Wdell A. Nov. 5,` 1935 2,081,033.. Keller..Y May 18,. 1937 2,084,967 Babb. June.22,- 1937 2,133,595 Thomas Oct` 18; 1933 2,153,388 Newmanl` Apr.. 4, 1939 2,203,738, Nash June `1l., 1940 2,251,434 Weisslet-al Aug. 5,:1941V 

